


Who Needs Dubai?

by Idzzdi



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Airports, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Coffee Shops, Fic Exchange, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-10
Updated: 2014-09-10
Packaged: 2018-02-16 22:25:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2286630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Idzzdi/pseuds/Idzzdi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Never thought I'd see you on this side of the counter,” Zayn says lowly, looking amused and more awake then Niall has ever seen him in his life before. Also, more attractive. He looks so effortlessly cool it is just not fair and Niall's mouth has become so dry, all he can do is stare.</p>
<p>or Niall has this thing for his coffee shop regular Zayn and they run into each other one night at the airport. Zayn shows him how to properly annoy the airport security.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who Needs Dubai?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [theamazingpeterparker](https://archiveofourown.org/users/theamazingpeterparker/gifts).



> So Party People!  
> There were two prompts that I absolutely loved, so instead of picking one I decided to combine them. Hope it turned out alright and you'll enjoy the story!
> 
> Also.. Er, I know an airport at night probably looks a littel differently, also security standarts would be different, but. It's a story, so. You know.

It's 4:57 in the afternoon and Niall is slowly starting to get shaky hands, knocking a cup of milk over and spilling it over the counter.

“Jesus, is it that time of day again?” Liam, his coworker, asks, tossing a towel over to Niall before grabbing one himself to help the boy mob up the spilled milk. Niall only blushes and tries to ignore the comment as best as he can with his face going hot and pink under Liam's watching eyes.

“I don't know what you're talking about,” Niall mutters as he straightens back up again, fiddling with the soaked towel in his hands. Liam only pulls his eyebrows up. He casts another look at the clock on the wall and then towards the door, just as it opens.

“Ah well, here we go,” he says with a small grin before squeezing Niall's hip affectionately and disappearing from behind the counter to wipe some tables or do God knows what, just to leave Niall alone and fumbling. And if Niall's mind were in its right place right now, he's be pretty upset about Liam's behavior because they have become quite good friends over their shared shifts behind the counter at the coffee shop. Too good of friends, probably, because Liam somehow picked up on Niall's stupid, stupid _thing_ he has for this one customer of theirs. Liam says it's a crush, but it's not. It's _not_. Niall is pretty sure it's not.

He squares his shoulders and tries to unsuspiciously wipe down his apron, to get off any crumbs and _shit_ he still has this milk soaked towel in his hands. He drops it right between his shoes and then casts, what he hopes looks like a friendly and certainly not at all seductive look at the boy across from him at the counter.

He looks gorgeous as always, his hair a bit rumpled but so soft looking. The look on his face matches the comfortable state of his dressing, calm and collected, a little tired maybe.

“Morning,” he mumbles, rubbing a hand down his face and along the perfect stubble on his chin before pushing back up into his raven black hair.

“Hey Zayn,” Niall mumbles timidly, gripping the counter tightly to not do anything stupid with his hands. Like grabs Zayn's face and smother him with kisses or something.

Zayn gives him a smile in return, a little surprised but a lot pleased, like he hasn't gotten used to the fact that Niall learned his name after the first time he came in. It might also have to do with the fact that the first time Niall had to note Zayn's name onto a coffee cup he was so nervous, he not only misspelled the name horribly, no, his hands were also shaking so much, that he had trouble reading his own handwriting after he had prepared the drink. Zayn had smoldered at him back then, giving him a half grin and spelled his name out for Niall, telling him to better remember, because he would be coming back.

That was more then three months ago and Niall had long given up on even trying to write down Zayn's name with how shaky his hands got when they boy was around. It didn't matter though, because 5 pm was not a popular time for coffee with most people and also, by now Niall knew all of Zayn's favorite drinks.

“What can I get you today?” Niall asks in what he hopes is a cheerful tone, like he doesn't already know it's Thursday and Zayn always has black coffee on Thursdays. Wednesdays nights must be hard on him, Niall thinks, as he nods along as Zayn orders black coffee.

 

~

 

It's a week later and just not a good day for Niall. He's late for his shift, because Harry was upset with him about the state of their flat, but between classes and tutoring, a job and shit loads of homework Niall just didn't have the time to fucking vacuum, okay? And it's not like his brother just had a go at him, for not being free this weekend to babysit, and don't even get him started about his parents.

It's just not a good week for Niall.

Liam doesn't seem to notice though, or maybe he doesn't care, because he does nothing at all to come save Niall at 5 pm when gorgeous Zayn walks in and Niall feels like a girl on her period. He runs a hand down his face and tries to push past it, but it doesn't quiet work.

“Black coffee as always?” he asks in lieu of a greeting as soon as Zayn steps up to the counter.

“Um,” Zayn hesitates, and he looks like he isn't quite aware of the fact that he orders black coffee every Thursday. Maybe Niall is a bit too observant for his own good.

“Sure,” Zayn says after a moment, pulling out his wallet without taking his eyes off Niall.

Niall takes the money and prepares Zayn's drink in silence, trying not to pout or do something equally unattractive like burst out in tears or something.

It's really, really not a great day in not a great week. And Zayn seems to pick up on it. As Niall hands him the drink, he gives him a careful look.

“You alright, mate?” he asks, taking the drink slowly from Niall's hands. “You're usually a lot.. chipper.”

Niall lets out a quick sad laugh and tries not to make anything out of the fact that Zayn apparently cares about his state of mood.

Zayn sets his cup back down onto the counter, leaning onto his hands and towards Niall.

“You look like you could use some cheering up,” he states, looking at Niall thoughtfully and long, but Niall feels too down to care. Even as he thinks that, he realizes that in a week or two, when his mood goes up again, he'll regret this so, _so_ much, but right now he can't be arsed to care. It's a _shit_ day.

“'s more like I could use some good advice,” he gives back with a sigh, not daring to think about the horror week ahead of him, that even his calender couldn't handle. Too many things going on for too little space. 48 hours of sleep is what he really needs, he thinks.

Zayn gives him another long look, then grins at him, patting down the pockets of his jacket, before he fumbles with them for a bit and then pulls out a piece of paper. He unfolds it and places it down onto the counter, pushing it towards Niall.

“Take a break,” he reads out loud, giving Zayn a confused look. The boy only shrugs.

“'s what I'm planning to get as a next tattoo, but I s'pose it's pretty good life advice for your current situation as well.” He shrugs again and gives Niall a crooked grin.

“Yeah well,” Niall sighs, still staring down at the paper. “'s not like I don't want to. Actually I really need a bit of a break. There's just no time..” he finishes with a vague hand motion around the coffee shop to show that he is busy with his job. And college and his family and friends and fucking everything, but that's neither here nor there.

“Well, then you gotta make time for one,” Zayn says easily, like taking a week or two off is just possible. Niall gives him a sad smile.

“I'm serious,” Zayn insists, taking the piece of paper back and stowing it away in one of his pockets. “If you don't make time now, it'll break you at some point.”

If only it were this easy, Niall thinks, as he watches Zayn walk away.

 

~

 

Later that evening Niall finds himself sitting in the kitchen of his and Harry's shared flat, staring down at the angry note Harry left him earlier this morning about not vacuuming. He is not crying, because he is way too manly for that. And if there is water drops leaking from his eyes, then that is not tears, thank you very much.

He takes a deep breath and bites his lip, thinking back to the encounter with Zayn today, thinking about his words and there is definitely not more water drops leaking from his eyes than before. Just no.

It takes him all but two minutes before he crumples Harry's note and throws it in the bin, and before grabbing a bag from his room, throwing in an array of clothes and shoes, raging from sweaters to t-shirts, because he had no fucking clue where he is going.

Actually, that is not true. He knows he is going to the airport.

Before he leaves he stops by the kitchen, leaving Harry a quick note of “ _Needed a break, be back in a few! N xx_ ”. He is halfway out the door before he returns and adds “ _days_ ” behind “ _a few_ ” and then adds “ _PS: don't wait up for me, darling_ ” just because he can and he knows that Harry will find it funny.

Or maybe he won't, Niall thinks as he hails down a cab and tells the driver to take him to the airport. Maybe Harry will be angry, because it is Thursday and he will be getting home from his evening class and his flatmate will be at the airport waiting to board a flight to Fiji. Or maybe Canada. Or Madrid, Niall always wanted to go there.

He is still letting different possible locations run through his head when he gets to the airport. It is just past 8:30, the drive took longer than he expected and paying the taxi driver leaves him with basically no cash. It is a little frustrating, but Niall is not surprised, having brought his Visa card for situations just like this.

When he gets into the entrance hall, bag slung over his shoulder and strut fast and determined he steers directly towards the travel agencies. It is a Thursday night and he really shouldn't be as surprised as he is when he finds that they are all closed already. He just stops and stares for a moment, dumbfound to have run into a problem. This is not how he pictured his late night escape to an exotic island.

Going back home is no option at all though, so he finds an open _FlyingEmirates_ counter and books the next flight to Dubai. That seems far enough to get away for a while and just forget about all the shit waiting for him back home.

The flight leaves at 5:23 in the morning and so Niall has a long night ahead of him. He wanders around the airport aimlessly for a bit, fucking around with his phone and watching the luggage reclaim from flights arriving. He watches the people coming to visit London or returning back home, greeted by family members, climbing into taxis. They all look so _happy_.

Instantly Niall feels bad for just _leaving_ and for leaving Harry home alone, for not replying to his texts and for turning his phone off after Harry called twice.

He takes in a sharp breath, pushing up from the bench he was sitting on and grabbing his bag to get moving again. Sitting and thinking is just not good right now.

For a while he walks aimlessly again, until he finds a Starbucks, deciding that coffee is never a bad idea and also he has to stay up all night, so caffeine sounds just like what he needs right now. He orders black coffee from a sleepy looking barista and nearly jumps when just he takes the cup from the man a familiar voice speaks up from behind him.

“Never thought I'd see you on this side of the counter,” Zayn says lowly, looking amused and more awake then Niall has ever seen him in his life before. Also, more attractive than Niall has ever seen him, with his hair styled into an artful quiff, his legs forced into black skinny jeans and the shirt he is wearing exposing a large part of his chest. He looks so effortlessly cool it is just not fair and Niall's mouth has become so dry, all he can do is stare.

“You okay?” Zayn asks with a chuckle when Niall has been staring for a little too long.

“Um,” Niall mutters, then coughs unattractively and almost spills his coffee. Zayn gives him another bemused look and then his eyes land on Niall's bag, resting against the side of his leg.

“You going on holiday?” he asks, quickly giving the barista his order before turning back to Niall. “I'm sure you would've let me know if my favorite barista wasn't going to be there for the next week to fix my morning coffee.”

Niall gracefully ignores that he apparently is Zayn's favorite barista, because he does not much fancy fainting on the spot. Instead he swallows hard, thinks of something clever to say and in the end just ends up vomiting up words.

“You always come in at 5 in the afternoon,” he says, and well.. at least it is a coherent sentence.

“'s still morning for me,” Zayn says a with a shrug, but does not elaborate. “So where are you going then?” he asks, taking another look at Niall's bag.

“Taking a break,” Niall says with a small shrug. Zayn raises his eyebrows slowly and Niall knows Zayn just recognized those words. Suddenly Niall feels ridiculous and ashamed for taking Zayn's advice quite so literally.

“What are you doing at the airport in the middle of the night then?” Niall asks quickly, trying to get Zayn to stop thinking about what he just said.

“Flight got delayed,” Zayn explains as he grabs his own drink and then leads them both towards one of the table in the otherwise deserted Starbucks. When Niall only looks at him expectantly Zayn continues.

“Was supposed to fly out to Berlin tonight, for a job. But they have some kind of tornado like storm going on there or something and they're not flying out tonight anymore. Have to wait till the morning.”

Niall nods along, sipping his coffee. “What kind of job?”

“Um,” Zayn begins and hesitates, giving Niall a timid look. “'s Berlin fashion week. I, uh, model. Sometimes.” He shrugs again and Niall can't help but roll his eyes.

“Obviously,” he mutters before he can stop himself and turns scarlet red half a second later. “I mean,” he starts, trying to somehow talk himself out of this mess again, but it is no use. Zayn is smiling knowingly at him, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He lets his hands run down his chin deliberately and Niall can't help but trail the movement of Zayn's hand with his eyes, biting his lip involuntarily.

When he looks back up, Zayn is watching him. The boy breaks out into a laugh and Niall turns even more red. Not only is Zayn unfairly attractive, he is also charming and funny. And a model on top of everything, _God bless_.

Niall will need to talk to Liam about this, because he is certain he will never be able to serve Zayn another drink after this encounter. Zayn will just take him for a stupid boy with a stupid crush. Which, well.. he _is_.

Zayn keeps grinning at him over his cup of coffee, eyes shining and crinkling as he smirks.

“Right, so,” Niall coughs, nudging his toes against his bag underneath the table, avoiding Zayn's eyes.

“You ever been in an airport at night?” Zayn asks him, tilting his head to the side, curios.

“No,” Niall answers honestly, looking up quickly only to lower his gaze right away again when his eyes meet Zayn's.

“Let's go then,” Zayn prompts and waits for Niall to get up and follow him. Niall does not know why he follows him- okay, well, Zayn is supremely attractive and Niall has no backbone at all, not with his dick _this_ interested in Zayn's everything. So Niall trudges along down the terminal and down a couple of hallways until Zayn comes to a halt. They are stood by some lockers and Zayn wordlessly opens one and pushes Niall's bag into it, along with another one that's already been in there. Niall assumes it must be Zayn's.

“Right, got out hands free now,” Zayn concludes as he closes the locker again. “Not much to do here at night, but I know all the best spots and I'm taking you on a tour.” He's grinning widely and looks proud. Niall does not quite know how to reply to that, just nods and swallows, lets Zayn drag him by the arm, down the hallways again and through countless doors.

“Are you sure we're supposed to be here?” Niall asks timidly as they enter yet another door that has a giant yellow 'KEEP OUT' sign next to it.

“It's this sort of gray area, I suppose,” Zayn replies easily, looking back at Niall for a moment, offering a shrug. “'s not like I ever got caught before.”

Niall nods along and tries not to think about how the possibility of getting caught definitely implies that they are not supposed to be there. He wonders how many times exactly Zayn has been to the airport before and so he asks.

“Too many,” is Zayn's reply, accompanied by a shrug as he slows his steps. “Try going to America with a face like mine and you'll run into hours of waiting alright.”

“A face like yours,” Niall repeats drily, coming to stop next to Zayn.

“I mean my foreign look,” Zayn says, sounding bemused and a little taken aback.

“Obviously,” Niall replies with a cough, trying to hide the blush creeping up his cheeks. Zayn gives him a long look and then laughs, stepping closer towards the glass front in front of them, leaning onto the railing. Niall takes a moment to collect himself and then joins Zayn, putting his hands onto the railing, admiring the view across the dark field outside.

“We're just below the tower,” Zayn explains and hums quietly as they both watch the few lights flickering across the runway. Everything is still and quiet, no more planes flying in or out, no more sounds to be heard except Zayn's humming. It's calming in a way and together with the way Niall's limbs feel heavy from a long and exhausting day, he feels more at peace right here and now than he has in the past few weeks.

They are quiet for a very long while; it is past midnight now and Niall can feel his thoughts drifting off.

“I don't even wanna think about coming back. I'm not even gone yet and already I'm scared of coming back,” he admits quietly, taking a deep breath.

“Why?” Zayn wonders, just as quietly, never taking his eyes off the runway. Niall is thankful.

“There's a shitstorm waiting for me. I didn't even call into work or anything. I just.. left.”

Zayn laughs quietly. “'s how it was when I left for the first time. Turned out alright for me, I believe.”

“Yeah well, I'm not gonna end up a model though, am I?”

“You should,” Zayn replies like it is nothing, like he actually means it. He turns his head and looks at Niall. Keeps looking until Niall has to turn his head as well and their eyes meet for a moment or two, before Niall looks down again. Zayn's eyes are just really.. _intense_.

“Would be nice, I suppose. Just getting out. Around the world. Sounds fun,” he admits, lifting his shoulder in a half shrug.

“Hmm,” Zayn hums and it is neither approval nor disapproval; something in between. Niall gives him looks until he continues. “'s alright, you know. But. 's not very permanent or anything. Everyone's very.. _fake_. There's parties and outings and high glam here and there, but.. It's not sweatpants and beanies at the airport at night,” he finishes with a small smile and Niall blushes again. Out of the two of them Zayn is _not_ the one wearing sweatpants and a beanie.

“Why'd you do something for a living that doesn't make you happy?” Niall wonders, his eyes fixed on the tattoos on Zayn's left hand.

“Because it makes me money,” Zayn says and shrugs. “And it's not all bad, it's just..” he trails off, lost for words. “What about you then? You don't seem very happy to me either.”

“Yeah, I-” Niall starts, but then stops, thinking about what he's going to say. Today was definitely not a happy day, but is he unhappy? He's got.. these great friends and a pretty decent job. He's not rich by any means, but he's alive and healthy and so are his friends and family. There used to be a time when this was enough to make him happy.

“It's more of a.. sleep deprived PMS midlife crises sort of thing for me, I guess,” he admits with a shrug and Zayn chuckles.

“Midlife crisis? You don't look much older than me.”

“No, I suppose I'm not,” Niall replies and chuckles as well. “Would be a shame if I was already halfway through with life,” he adds and Zayn gives him a look like he is absurd and maybe it is sleep deprivation talking, but soon after they are both laughing and clutching the railing, like they will fall over if they don't.

“Come on, I'll show you some more of the late night benefits,” Zayn says once they have both calmed down and then he grabs Niall's wrist again to tug him along through more doors and corridors. It has Niall's heart beating faster and swears it is only because they are technically doing something illegal and not because Zayn's thumb is steadily pressing into the dip on Niall's wrist.

“When was the last time you played tag in an airport?” Zayn asks as he rounds another corner and Niall is relieved to find that they are back at the terminal where he is sure they are allowed to be. _Supposed_ to be.

“Um, when I was like seven maybe?”

“Well, then you're long overdue. Let's go, your turn,” Zayn shouts as he tags Niall's arm and then starts running down the long hallway between the little duty free shops. For a moment Niall wonders if maybe Zayn is drunk or if maybe he has just never seen Zayn this awake; even though it is the middle of the night. It appears to be Zayn's time to be awake because he is laughing as he turns around mid stride and calls for Niall to “Come _on_ , slow poke, catch me!”.

Niall gives himself another moment to breath in deeply before running after Zayn, trying to catch up with him. When they make it out of Terminal B and to the transitioning passage to Terminal A Niall finally understands that this is not just some kind of regular tag and why Zayn might be so taken in by the idea of playing catch.

He almost falls over when he first steps onto the moving walkways, way too quickly and moving in the opposite direction, not looking where he stepped, eyes fixed on Zayn.

“Don't fall, coffee boy,” Zayn yells over his shoulder and breaks out in a laugh when he catches sight of Niall struggling not to fall over as he tries to keep moving.

“We're going the wrong way,” Niall complains, as he keeps running against the direction of the moving walkway.

“ _You_ are,” Zayn corrects him, easily moving further and further away on the walkway to Niall's right. It is moving in the opposite direction and Niall just caught the wrong walkway.

“Oh fuck it,” he curses and stops running altogether, putting a hand down onto the railing and doubling over to taken in deep gasping breaths.

“Hey there, old man, need some mouth-to-mouth ventilation?” Zayn asks with a laugh, slowly starting to walk against the direction of his walkway and approaching Niall at snail speed.

Niall is pretty proud of the way he gets out an “You wish!” before giving Zayn a grin and voicing nothing about the wank bank material visions he has in his head right now.

“Maybe I do,” Zayn says with a smirk, a lot closer all the sudden, still separated by two railings of moving walkways but definitely close enough to notice Niall blush fiercely. Niall opens his mouth to say something, but there's no words in his mouth, only a small breath of air, making Zayn grin ever wider.

“Your turn,” Niall saves himself and tags Zayn's arm before running like a maniac from the devilish person who calls himself Zayn, only sent by hell to make Niall's life as torturous as possible. He makes a left turn and runs back the same way where they came from, down to Terminal B, already gasping for air. He _hates_ running. But he can already hear Zayn approaching from behind so he needs an exit strategy _now_.

A few steps later a finds a men's bathroom, bolting in there and gasping for air as he leans back against one of the sinks, running his hands down his face. Maybe Zayn has a concept of personal space and leaves Niall be for as long as he is in the bathroom. Or maybe he does not, Niall thinks a second later, when Zayn comes storming into the bathroom, door swinging open with enough force to hit the wall, before Zayn takes two quick steps towards Niall.

He expects a tag on the arm, the chest maybe and then Zayn to bolt again. But instead Zayn yells “Ventilation!” and grabs Niall's face with both his hands, pressing their lips together. It is fast and hard and not really a kiss at all, because they are both still panting like they are in serious need for actual ventilation.

It is over before Niall quite registers what happened and Zayn is pulling away already.

“Your turn,” he says with a glint in his eyes, still breathing heavily. He turns to get out the door again, but Niall is faster. He grabs Zayn's wrist and pulls him back, pins his arms to his sides. They are nose to nose, looking at each other while they both catch their breaths, before Niall is convinced he has waited long enough and dives forward to press his lips against Zayn's.

It is softer this time and they are both a bit more prepared, Niall pulling Zayn closer by his hips and Zayn resting his hands against Niall's chest, feeling it rise and fall as he breathes.

It takes them not even ten seconds to run out of oxygen again and they break apart sort of laughing, sort of gasping. Zayn leans forward to rest his head against shoulder while they calm down, both their hands carefully finding each other until their intertwined and resting by their sides.

Niall squeezes Zayn's fingers and pulls him closer again, letting their lips meet for a short sweet moment before whispering “ _Your_ turn,” and sprinting away.

 

~

 

It's past 4:30 in the morning when they finally give up on running around the airport. They had run into trouble with the security guards twice already and Niall has a feeling they are not going to let him fly anymore if he makes it to three encounters.

So they have found a row of chairs and they are sitting down- well, Niall is sitting down, Zayn is _laying_ down with his head in Niall's lap. They have been quite for a while, Niall running his hand through Zayn's hair and he is convinced they boy in his lap is asleep by now. He is proven wrong when a moment later Zayn speaks up, keeping his eyes closed.

“You should go home,” he says, turning his head just slightly, so he can press his nose just above Niall's belt line. “I'm not gonna be able to make it at 5 tomorrow, but when I do get back I want my favorite barista to be there and make me coffee,” he says, sounding soft and tired. Like he needs a good cup of coffee to make it through the day.

“Okay,” Niall agrees after a long moment, tugging in Zayn's hair softly, getting a soft sigh in reply. “Who needs Dubai if they can have you?”

 

**Author's Note:**

> What did you think? :)
> 
> Leave a comment or some kudos to make me super duper happy!


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